The present invention relates generally to optical elements and circuits and more particularly to a method and apparatus for creating transient optical elements and circuits.
Optical processing has been suggested for ultrafast speed and ultralarge bandwidth signal processing and computation systems. Based on the fast switching, parallel and free-space interconnect capabilities of optics, research has been conducted to implement various types of optical switches and modulators. An important class of optical modulators is the so-called optical beam deflector which employs a combination of optical switching and interconnection. Various acousto-optic and electro-optic type of deflectors have been developed. Because of their hybrid signal format, however their deflection speed is limited to the nanosecond range. It has been suggested that in order to achieve higher processing speed, all-optical deflection schemes must be utilized. All optical deflection techniques are known. For example, the use of a dynamic grating formed by an interference of two coherent ultrashort laser pulses inside a third order nonlinear medium offers a picosecond beam deflection speed. A serious problem with the induced grating beam deflection approach based on interference, however, is that the deflected (1st order diffraction) beam energy is too weak as compared to its undeflected (0th order diffraction) counterpart.
The following references are considered of interest.
A. Yariv and P. C. Yeh, Optical Waves in Crystals, (Wiley, New York, 1983) ch. 8-10.
Acousto-Optic Signal Processing, ed. N. J. Berg and J. N. Lee, (Marcel Dekker, New York, 1983).
Laser Induced Dynamic Gratings, ed. H. J. Eichler, P. Gunter, and D. Pohl, (Springer Verlag, New York, 1986).
D. H. Auston et. al. "Research on nonlinear optical materials an assessment," Appl. Opt. (1987).
Nonlinear Optics, A Lecture Note and Reprint Volume, N. Bloembergen Harvard University, W. A. Benjamin Advanced Book Program, Reading, Massachusetts, pp. 1-3, 1965.
Optical Fiber Telecommunications, Academic Press, Chapter 17, Modulation Techniques, I. P. Kaminow and T. Li, pp. 575-589, 1979.
Ultrafast Laser Spectroscopy, Semiconductor Probe Picosecond Kerr Gate, Volume 2, Academic Press, pp. 409-439.
Applied Physics Letters 15, p. 192, Duguay annd Hanson, 1969.
As can be appreciated, the need exists for a new and improved technique for creating transient optical elements.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for creating transient optical elements.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved method of creating transient optical elements.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a new and improved method of creating transient optical circuits.
It is yet still another object of this invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for creating transient optical circuits.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for creating all-optical beam deflectors.
It is still a further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for creating all-optical beam modulators.
It is a yet still a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for creating ultrafast transient optical elements and circuits.